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Bestiary
Back to Morra This is a compendium of animals and beasts found on the continent of Morra. Most of the information is focused more on the relative game world of the Kingdom of Sor'lamir. All of this may be considered common knowledge. Amphibians Amphibians on Sor'lamir range from tiny cave and tree frogs to larger salamanders. They dwell primarily in wetlands and around lakes or rivers with distinctly different species having evolved around any large body of fresh water. Amphibians lay eggs, and many go through a tadpole stage, changing in shape and function at various points in the growth process including the formation of legs to support the body on land. *Susib This species of frog is a social animal, living in groups of up to six individuals; however, captive susib frogs can live in much larger groups, but eventually lose their toxicity. It is one of the most poisonous animals on all of Morra, with a deadly toxin that coats the skin, and when touched, causes the muscles to contract to an inactive state, and lead to heart failure or fibrillation. They are found in moist areas of the Kanderic Forest, and are extremely hard to find, despite the bright color. *Umphi This species of frog is another that can be difficult to find within Sor'lamir. The Umphi spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, and do not normally descend to the ground, except to mate and spawn. They can change their color for better camouflage, ranging from greens to greys. They are tiny, as their weight has to be carried by the branches and twigs of their habitat. Their legs are a delicacy for the rich. Birds Birds are bipedal, warm-blooded animals characterized primarily by feathers, forelimbs modified as wings, and hollow bones. There are many dozens of different varieties of birds found throughout Sor'lamir that range in size from tiny songbirds to eagles. Some birds feed on seed or insects, while others are birds of prey that hunt rodents and small mammals. Birds vary by region. *Terrador The Terrador is a giant red eagle, a bird of prey, and is one of the largest on Sor'lamir, and sits at the top of the food chain amongst the avian world. It has long and broad wings, which allow it to fly much faster. The talons are strong enough to crush a human skull, and the beak is hooked which allows it to tear the flesh from it's prey. Terrador build nests called eyries and they can be found in tall trees or on high cliffs. The eggs are valuable to eat, and their feathers make some of the best fletching. *Woowoo The woowoo is a small bird that is covered in a rainbow of feathers. They are a very difficult bird to catch as they are incredibly fast and agile, but experts can make a fortune for trading them to the upper class of Sor'lamir, who desire them as pets for both the morning song they sing, and their colour. Creb Crebs are massive, carnivorous animals originally found on the isle of Gissour's Pointe, that look similar to the cross of a mammoth and a badger. Creb have long, wooly coats that are grey in color, with a dark strip that runs down the back, and a thick hide that can easily repel most arrows. They are feared and as deadly as the Reinic wolf-hulk, considered a prize for any hunter to bring down. Extremely good climbers, they have been known to scale town walls to gain entrance, and wreak havoc on the citizens. Their long ivory tusks are very valuable, and it dwells within large holes throughout the year, though winter is largely spent in periods of hibernation and periods of extreme aggressiveness in the search of enough food to fuel them through another sleeping period. Domestic Animal There are numerous types of domestic animals found in Sor'lamir that range from cats and dogs, which are kept as pets, to pigs, chickens, and cows which are raised for meat and/or dairy use. Each Sor'lamirian village has its own unique domestic animals depending on the local fauna and past trade with other villages that has introduced sometimes rare or exotic animals into a foreign ecology. Eels Eels are predators that dwell in the shallow waters of the Murkwood and in various other swampy areas of Sor'lamir. Depending on their species, eels can range from the size of a human's hand to almost nine-feet in length. Colors vary greatly by species, but it can generally be assumed that eels of bright colours or extravagant patterns are poisonous while those of a more drab appearance are not. The fishermen of Roak are excellent eel hunters, harvesting eels out of the nearby marsh and exporting the meat and skins throughout Sor'lamir. Eel skin leather is highly prized. It is very smooth and exceptionally strong. *Stinrod The Stinrod is the alpha of the eel world. Besides the crocodile, they have nothing to fear in the Murkwood besides each other. While not the biggest, or the fastest, they certainly have the deadliest bite. They are rather territorial, and are loners except when it comes time to breed. *Hagfish Notorious for it's slimy skin, which oozes from its glands in times of stress and danger. They are the garbage collectors of the marshes, eating dead and rotting animals, being very unsavory to other predators. Swarms of slimehags have been known to eat a carcass from the inside out. The slime is notoriously difficult to remove for those who wish to harvest the leather or meat, hence the nickname the slime eel. Elk Sor'lamirian elk are large herd animals similar to common deer though their coloring is much darker, their size more formidable, and they have a shaggier mane of hair around their head and neck. Elk are hunted throughout the hills and the mountains of Sor'lamir. They have impressive racks of antlers, and a unmistakable call, and a cautious nature. Elk are more commonly found at night due to their nocturnal feeding habits. Elk meat, while tougher and stringier than beef, is commonly eaten on Sor'lamir and elk hides are very soft and supple. Many a huntsman dabbles with antler carving, and it is quite common to find elk heads or antlers mounted on a wall where a good kill is seen as a trophy of sorts. Fish Fish are your typical gill-bearing aquatic animal, and are abundant in most bodies of water. There are many different types, and some have evolved into dangerous marine predators. *Ambereye The ambereye is a type of freshwater cod that is known throughout Sor'lamir as the largest fish in Morra, and the longest living. It is a carnivorous fish that mainly eats other fish. A single catch can often feed a common family. *Ghostsnap The ghostsnap is a freshwater trout found exclusively within Lake Bhur and its feeding rivers. It is a game fish, for it is extremely difficult to catch due to it's fast swimming speed and it's elusive ability to steal bait and not get caught. *Flecklefin The flecklefin is a type of freshwater trout that has earned its way into the diets of many commoners in Kemlyshire due to their unfishy taste, decent size, and the fact that the meat is easily filleted. Flecklefin trout are found exclusively in the Manyrivers. Fox The gray foxes and ringtail foxes of Sor'lamir stand a little over a foot tall at the shoulder, with ringtails being slightly larger and heavier than the grays who average about 15 pounds. Both breeds of Sorlamirian fox are resourceful and agile, and they are able to scurry up and down trees with relative ease. Fox are mostly nocturnal and crepuscular woodland creatures found in all forests. Fox are carnivores, eating other small animals, but they are also fond of niva berries which grow in abundance in the Kanderic Forest. Hedgehorn The hedgehorn is a rhinoceros-like herbivore with a thick, dark brown hide upon which grows the parasitic stranglethorn vine. This gives the hedgehorn an odd form of natural camouflage through the years that the vine remains immature, yet is regrettably lethal to the animal when the strangleweed finally reaches the point in its growth cycle that it devours its host using the corpse as fertilizer so that it can grow and turn to seed. Hedgehorn are timid animals unless provoked, at which time they can become quite dangerous. While hedgehorn are hunted throughout Sor'lamir, it is the need to destroy the dangerous plant that they unknowingly help to spread that makes them prey to mankind. The meat and hide of the hedgehorn are useless, and upon making a kill most good-natured hunters quickly burn the corpse to prevent the spread of stranglethorn. Lizards Lizards are the dominant life of the World Below. They are cold-blooded reptiles that thrive in the warm thermal subterranean tunnels and many have either adapted to life without sight or gained the ability to see in perfect darkness. There are thousands of varieties of lizards found in the World Below ranging from the stilt lizard which is about the size of a human's fingernail to the giant garanu which is the ultimate subterranean predator. For the tribe of the Shydow, lizards are a common part of life. They are used for food, for their skins, and as mounts. *Garanu Garanu are a long, carniverous, six-legged creature, remote to the depths of the World Below. They are carnivorous, and eat everything. Their tough hide, if skinned and worked properly can prove to be an exceptionally tough piece of armor, and their tender white meat is considered a delicasy. They can climb and swim rather quickly, though are unable to outrun a human on foot, and there razor-sharp teeth and spikey tails are used as deadly weapons. Mountain Lions Mountain lions are a large, long-tailed, unspotted cat with a long lithe body. They are sleek and golden in color with darker markings present on their feet and a black-tipped tail. Mountain lions are also referenced by the names cougar in the north of Sor'lamir, and pumas in eastern Sor'lamir. Mountain lions are present everywhere there are deer at high altitudes as deer form the staple of their diets. Contrary to popular belief, mountain lions do not commonly attack man unless they are suffering from a shortage of food, and they do not make their dens in caves, choosing instead to shelter under overhanging ledges, cliff crevices, and dense thickets. Mountain lion meat is not commonly eaten outside of Armistead where "the men's men" enjoy chewing on anything that might have chewed on them under different circumstances. Rabbits Rabbits are small mammals found throughout Sor'lamir, and they are also referred to as bunnies by children. There are several different breeds of rabbit in Sor'lamir, which vary geographically and lend slightly differing appearances. The rabbits of the mountains are generally larger and lankier than those of the prairie, for example. Rabbits are hunted for their pelts and meat, raised domestically, and rabbit milk is commonly used in a medicinal draught for the purpose of nursing malnutrition. Rodents There are hundreds of species of rodents in Sor'lamir including marmot, mice, rats, chipmunks, hedgehogs, etcetera. Most rodents are small, and they share the common characteristic of matching upper and lower incisors that continue to grow continuously and must be kept worn down by gnawing. Rodents reproduce rapidly and are not typically eaten as they are common carriers of disease. Shellfish Shellfish is a term used to describe shelled mollusks and crustaceans used as food throughout Morra, such as oysters, scallops, shrimp, lobsters, and crab. Shellfish are typically the domain of the citizens of Calimoore who are skilled at plucking these delicacies from the seas and coastline. With such a limited supply of shellfish, they are a delicacy throughout Sor'lamir. Skunks Skunks are small carnivorous animals with a bushy tail, black fur with white markings and the ability to eject a foul-smelling oily liquid when they are frightened or in danger. Skunks are nocturnal, and they are generally solitary animals that shelter by day in burrows that they dig with their powerful front claws. Occasionally, they choose to seek out the burrows of other animals. Most natural predators, including men, avoid attacking skunks for fear of being sprayed. The only exception to this are large owls which occasionally do attack small skunk because, being birds, they have virtually no sense of smell. Snakes Snakes are common throughout Sor'lamir, though the type of snake, its markings, size, and venom vary greatly by species. Rattlesnakes are commonly found in the plains of Leketteshire, and are the most venomous snake on land. In the World Below, a number of snake species have evolved, and indeed thrived, due to their heat sensing organs and heightened sense of smell. These dangerous pit vipers are more venomous than rattlesnakes and generally feed on lizards. Fortunately, many antidotes have been developed to deal with snake bites, and as such, fatalities caused by snake bites are not common. Most people traveling cross-country, or through the tunnels of the World Below, do so only with an ample supply of anti-toxins. Subterranean Panther Subterranean panthers are a giant cat species found only in the World Below. They are able to see clearly in the dark subterranean passageways and their dark coats blend perfectly into the native stone to give them camouflage that is ideally suited to their environment. Subterranean panthers are lone hunters who are very territorial about the caverns that fall within their hunting ground, and a single large panther may lay claim to several miles of tunnels. Like most of the predators of the World Below, subterranean panthers do prey on man. Wild Boar Wild boar are the ancestors of domestic pigs. They live in thick woodlands across Sor'lamir. Wild boars can grow up to six feet long and they have thick, short, bristly coats ranging in colour from brown to black. Male wild boar have sharp tusks that stick out around their snouts and these are used in hunting to snare and rip their prey. Sor'lamirian wild boars are carnivorous and they prey on anything smaller that they are able to kill. The meat of wild boar is commonly served in Armistead, where wild boar is a dinner staple. Wolves & Wolfhulk Wolves are social predators found all throughout Sor'lamir. Wolves are social predators that hunt in packs organized according to strict rank-oriented social-hierarchies, with the dominant pack alphas often being wolfhulks, which are a much larger and more aggressive species that are closely related to the lesser wolves. Wolf packs typically hunt large herbivores, but packs consisting of numerous hulks have been known to target everything from mountain lion to creb.